Too Late
by YourPinkDiary
Summary: Sparks can die before they become a flame. Channy Sortof. One shot.


**Disclaimer: **I don't own Sonny With a Chance. If I did... well, I would be Chad's tool to make Sonny jealous... that way Sonny and Chad get together, but I still get to kiss him :) haha.

**A/N: **I don't know where the idea for this came from... it just sort of happened. I find it depressing and sad and writing it wasn't fun. Yet I wanted to post it anyway. I have endless stories for Sonny and Chad and this is one of them. The next one will be happier... I promise. However, reviews? Please? Pretty pretty please?

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For two years the electricity, the chemistry had flowed between the two of them. Most of the time it was charged, no one would go near it, it was too powerful. It attracted them to each other. No matter what the day, they found a chance to be near each other, to talk to each other… mostly in an argument. They were opposites. Humble and cocky, blonde and brunette, caring and selfish, brown and blue. Maybe this was what drew them near each other each and every day.

For two years it went unsaid.

It was known, but unsaid.

It was a fact that they were attracted to each other. Not a myth, not a rumour, but a fact. It was a fact that they both _needed_ their arguments like they needed air.

For two years it had been building up. Two years of arguing, two years of an undertone of 'I really care about you' in their arguments.

Two years had been leading up to this day.

It was a casual party, thrown by James Conroy.

Chad still hadn't forgiven him for taking Sonny out.

Sonny still hadn't forgiven him for being a jerk.

But they were both going.

Sonny's dress was a deep royal purple. It complimented her skin. It was strapless; it cinched in at the waste and reached just above her knees. With it she wore black stockings and closed toe heels in the same colour.

Chad was going casual. Loose dark wash jeans, a white collared shirt and a black blazer jacket. With it he worse black converse sneakers. His hair was done so his fringe fell ever so slightly into one eye.

They weren't going together. In fact, they were not even aware of each other going. They were not even aware of what the night was leading up to.

They were not aware of the disappointment they would face.

Sonny and Tawni arrived together first. There were camera's flashing outside, James Conroy did not do things on a small scale. When he had a party, he had a party. And _everyone_ knew about it. Including the press. They smiled for the cameras before rushing inside.

Music was pumping, lights were flashing and James Conroy was on the stage with a microphone in his hand.

"What's up people?" He said. "Welcome to my nineteenth birthday."

Sonny looked to Tawni. "Did you know it was his birthday?"

She shook her head. "No. Oh well."

Sonny found her way to the food. She stood there, hiding against the edge of the party for a long time. Letting song after song drift through her ears without taking it in. Staring blankly out to the crowd, not really taking it in. She sipped at her drink slowly. It was pink and far too sweet, but she had nothing else to do.

It was because she was so unfocused that she jumped when an arm snaked around her waist. The drink slipped out of her hands and spilt all over herself and the space invading person belonging to the arm.

"Sorry!" Sonny exclaimed, reached out and grabbing the shirt, she didn't know what she was doing with it Her hand just rested there on the person's chest.

"Look what you did!" They exclaimed.

Sonny drew her eyes away from the once white shirt and into blue eyes staring down at her.

"Well maybe if you'd _announced_ yourself first, it wouldn't have happened." She said.

Chad looked down. Her hands were still on his chest. She blushed and removed them.

"I guess I'll go and try and fix this then." He said. Promptly turning around.

"Chad, wait!" She called after him.

He turned briefly.

"L-let me help you. It's my fault after all." She said. "I mean, aside from the part where you scared me half to death."

"All I did was put my arm around you."

"But you could have been anyone. You could have been… James…"

Chad rolled his eyes and took her hand… so not to lose her in the crowd, obviously, and led her to the foyer outside where the bathrooms were. He led her into a disabled toilet, not wanting to make anything awkward by taking her into the men's toilets… or himself awkward by going into the ladies. He still didn't talk to her as he grabbed some paper towel and started running them under the water. She quickly did the same.

Their hands bumped each other in the sink.

"Sorry." She muttered.

"S'ok."

"Here," She put her arms on his shoulders and turned him to face her. She slowly started to remove his jacket, before realising half way through the action what she was doing and blushed. "Uh… it'll make it easier if um…"

He had been staring at her intently, and when she spoke he broke out of his trance. "Oh, yeah." He said and finished the job she's started and took his jacket off.

Slowly her hands reached up and with the paper towel she began dabbing at the pink stain on his chest. His breath hitched as her fingers brushed against his chest through the fabric. She looked up at him with curious brown eyes.

"Are you ok?" She asked.

"I'm fine." He managed.

She went back to what she was doing.

He was frozen. He couldn't move. She was so close to him… too close to him.

"I don't think it's going to come out." She glanced up at him.

For several long seconds they stared at each other. Only inches apart, not moving any closer, not moving any further apart.

He was the first one to move. He took the paper towels out of her hands and placed them in the bathroom sink. "Don't worry about it." He said quietly. He glanced down at her dress, taking a moment to admire the way it so perfectly hugged her body. "What about your dress?" He would have just tried to help her. But the stain on her own clothing covered her chest.

"Oh." She looked away from him and down to her dress. "It's ok."

"Are you sure?"

"Ye-" She cut herself off with a gasp as his fingers brushed over her waist. "Ch-Chad."

"Sonny."

She looked up. His eyes were darker and they stared at her intensely. Sonny felt like she was cracking, breaking, under pressure. She could see every inch of his face perfectly. The light, barely there freckles that were scattered over his nose and cheeks. The different blues in his eyes, they got lighter towards the pupil. She slowly reached one arm up. Her fingers brushed against his cheek and further up to run through his hair.

As she did this he lent forward. Making his hold on her waist tighter.

"It's been a long time coming." He murmured. Unsure of if he was talking to himself or not.

"It has." She whispered back.

He closed the gap between them.

For ten long seconds they stood there. They didn't move. They stood still, lips against lips.

Sonny felt tears escaping from under her closed eyes.

This was _not_ what it was supposed to be.

She broke away abruptly.

"What just happened?" Chad asked.

"Chad," She asked, trying to blink away tears. "Did you feel anything?"

He bit his lip. Then slowly shook his head. "I thought I would."

"So did I." She didn't bother to stop the tears. She didn't care if he saw her disappointment. Two years of waiting for that moment. Two long years of argument after argument. _Good's_ and _Fine's_ and _Really's_ thrown about here there and everywhere. Two years of doing everything she could to hide her crush on him, even though she knew that he knew. Two years and then… nothing.

Sonny had never been in love before. But she had been sure this was it. She had been so sure that when the moment came there would be fireworks. Electricity would flow through her as their lips connected.

She had been wrong.

There had been nothing. No fireworks, no electricity. Just his lips on hers and she hadn't felt a thing.

_That_ was why she was crying. And from the look in his eyes, it had been the same for Chad.

Chad had believed that she must be the only girl for him. She was the only one who had been able to make him care. Make him show… compassion. That was real and not just for show so people wouldn't like him. He was sure that because of that, because _she_ could bring that out in him there had to be more. He loved arguing with her. He loved it because he knew he had her complete attention. He had expected that when this moment came it would feel so right. So right that the first time wouldn't feel like the first time. It would feel like they'd done it before and it just fit.

But it didn't fit.

As he stared at the girl openly crying in front of him he wanted to help her. But he didn't know how. He, through no actual fault of his own was the reason she was crying.

No, not him. They.

_They_ were the reason he was crying.

Maybe he loved her after all. He just wasn't _in_ love with her.

A spark has its time. It needs to connect with something flammable to start a fire. Sparks can die before they become a flame.

It was too late.


End file.
